HB 879 was signed into law on May 3, 2016, establishing a
Seal of Biliteracy for the state of Georgia. The Seal of Biliteracy will be
available for graduating high school students starting in 2016/2017.
Law Text
a) There is established a Georgia Seal of
Biliteracy to recognize high school graduates who have attained a high level of
proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in one or more languages in
addition to English.
b) The purpose of the Georgia Seal of Biliteracy are as follows:
(1) To encourage pupils to study foreign languages;
(2) To certify attainment of biliteracy;
(3) To provide employers with a method to identify people with language
and biliteracy skills;
(4) To provide universities with a method to recognize and give academic
credit to applicants seeking admission; and
(5) To recognize and promote foreign language instruction in public
schools.
c) In order to qualify for the Georgia Seal of
Biliteracy, a high school graduate shall meet the following criteria:
(1) Completion of all English language arts requirements for graduation
with an overall grade point average of 3.0 or above in those classes; and
(2) Proficiency in one or more languages other than English, demonstrated
by passing a foreign language advanced placement examination with a score of 4
or higher or an international baccalaureate examination with a score of 5 or
higher; provided, however, that for languages in which an advanced placement
examination is not available, the Department of Education may provide a listing
of equivalent summative examinations that local school systems may use in place
of such an advanced placement examination.
d) (1) A local school system participating in the
Georgia Seal of Biliteracy program shall maintain appropriate records in order
to identify pupils who have earned a Georgia Seal of Biliteracy and shall affix
the appropriate insignia to the diploma or transcript of each pupil who earns
such seal.
(2) Local school system
participation in the Georgia Seal of Biliteracy program shall be voluntary. No
local school system shall be required to expend additional resources or hire
additional personnel to implement the provisions of this Code section.
e) The Department of Education shall prepare and
deliver to participating local school systems an appropriate insignia to be
affixed to the diploma or transcript of the pupil indicating that such pupil
has been awarded a Georgia Seal of Biliteracy.
Reporting Qualifying Students to GaDOE
Please submit your seal requests to the Program Specialist for World Languages using the link below by May 1 to obtain the seals. For students whose AP and IB scores are reported back in July, please submit the form by September 1.
Submit Seal of Biliteracy Requests via this Link
Overview of Georgia's Seal of Biliteracy
Link to Presentation on the Georgia Seal of Biliteracy March 2019
Questions? Review our new Biliteracy Seal at a Glance Guidance
Frequently Asked
Questions
Are schools obligated to award the Seal of Biliteracy to interested
students?
No, participation in the program is voluntary.
Who qualifies for the Seal of Biliteracy?
ALL Georgia public school students are eligible to attain
Georgia’s Seal of Biliteracy based on evidence of achieving the required level
of language proficiency in English plus one or more other languages during
their high school years. To obtain this Seal, students must demonstrate the
determined level of proficiency in English, as well as one or more additional
languages, be that language a native language, a heritage language, or a
language learned in school or another setting. Some components for Georgia’s
Seal of Biliteracy may be completed prior to high school for some students (as
with dual language immersion programs, English learners, and other
populations). The focus is on achieving the level of proficiency required for
English and the level of proficiency required for one or more other languages.
Who will check that students have met the required qualifications for
the Seal of Biliteracy?
Schools and districts will develop procedures locally to
determine who at the school level will be responsible for verifying the qualifications
of interested students and keeping records of qualifications for each student
who is awarded the Seal. Records should be kept on accepted local and state
retention schedules.
How will schools award the Seal of Biliteracy if AP and IB scores are
not reported back until July?
Many students may not take the AP World Language exam or IB
exam until their senior year in high school and will have the scores
reported after graduation in July. The Seal of Biliteracy can be awarded
retroactively if the required scores have been met [a minimum score of 4 on the
AP World Language exam and a minimum score of 5 on an IB Diploma Program
Language B exam (Standard Level or Higher Level; excluding ab initio)].
How will schools obtain the actual seals?
By May 1 of each school year, senior counselors should
contact the Program Specialist for World Languages at GaDOE, Mr. Patrick Wallace pwallace@doe.k12.ga.us,
and request the number of seals required at graduation. The number must match
the number indicated in data reporting. For students taking the AP or IB World Language exam in their senior year, please request the Seal by September 1 of the same year the exam was taken. Seals will be mailed to the school.
What IB exams will count for the Seal of Biliteracy?
All diploma program Language B exams (Standard and Higher
Level); ab initio exams will not
count towards the Seal of Biliteracy. To qualify for the Seal of
Biliteracy, students need to have a minimum score of 5 on the SL or HL Language
B exam.
What are each school’s responsibilities?
Georgia’s Seal of Biliteracy will be awarded upon high
school graduation. Schools that wish to award the Seal must
- Designate a contact person at each participating
high school that is responsible for
- collecting applications from students in their
senior year
- checking the qualifications of applicants, and
- awarding qualified students with the Seal
- reporting students that were awarded the Seal to
GaDOE through data collection
- The
Seal may be added to the high school diploma or transcript as well as displayed
on a certificate or medal awarded to the student.
- It
is suggested that the Seal be noted on the high school transcript as this is
the credential that is viewed by colleges and universities and future
employers.
- Districts
and schools are encouraged to make the awarding of Georgia’s Seal of Biliteracy
a prominent component at graduation and any senior award ceremonies.
Who will pay for the proficiency exams?
Districts and schools are encouraged to investigate all
possible funding sources, e.g., federal funds, grants, local funding sources,
etc. Districts will determine the source of funding for students' proficiency testing.
What proficiency level do students need to demonstrate?
Specific assessments exist for many languages, including English, and provide a valid and reliable means of measuring students’ language
proficiency. The evidence needs to evaluate students’ use of the language, not
knowledge about the language. The Georgia Department of Education recommends
that schools help students maintain a portfolio of their language performance,
such as the LinguaFolio®, tracking improvement and progress toward the level
required for the Seal of Biliteracy.
Native and non-native users of a language other than English
need to provide evidence of proficiency in that language. The minimum
target level should be Intermediate High based on the ACTFL Proficiency
Guidelines. The student should demonstrate proficiency in the modes of
communication appropriate for that language; not all languages have all modes
of communication (Interpersonal communication involving conversational speaking
and listening or signed exchanges; Interpretive reading, listening, or viewing;
and Presentational communication shown by creating messages for a reader,
listener, or viewer through writing, speaking, or signing). The language
performance should be demonstrated in both social and academic (content-based)
use of the language, where possible.
Can ASL and Latin students apply for the Seal of Biliteracy?
Yes. Due to unique characteristics of certain languages,
special allowances will be made: in cases where language assessments across all
three modes of communication defined by ACTFL (interpersonal, interpretive and
presentational) may not be appropriate or available, the Georgia Department of
Education reserves the right to accept a different assessment that meets the
spirit of Georgia’s Seal of Biliteracy. Students seeking the Seal through
languages not characterized by the use of listening, speaking, reading, or for
which there is not a writing system, will demonstrate the expected level of
proficiency on an assessment of the modalities that characterize communication
in that language.
Examples include:
- Latin and Classical Greek – assessment of
interpretive reading and presentational writing, not of listening or
interpersonal face-to-face communication
American Sign Language (ASL) – assessment of
interpersonal signed exchange, presentational signing, and demonstrating
understanding of ASL (such as interpreting a signed lecture or by
summarizing and responding to questions aimed at overarching understanding)
- Native American Languages – assessment of
interpersonal face-to-face communication as well as interpretive listening and
presentational speaking, and writing and reading where a written code exists.
When and how do students learn about the Seal of Biliteracy?
Counselors should provide all students and their families
information on Georgia’s Seal of Biliteracy upon entering middle and high
school settings so that students are able to organize their schedules and meet
the requirements necessary to receive this honor.
How do we assure equitable access for the Seal of Biliteracy?
ALL students means “all”, regardless of language background
or any identified condition that may exclude demonstration of language
proficiency in one of the ACTFL-defined modes of communication, conditions such
as blindness, deaf or hearing impaired, cognitive disabilities, or learning
disabilities.
Accommodations, such as those already in place for
Georgia-required assessments of language, should be included for assessments
used to qualify for Georgia’s Seal of Biliteracy. Technology provides the
resources and means to make the assessments for the Seal of Biliteracy
available to all students.
What is the difference between the International Skills Diploma Seal
and the Seal of Biliteracy?
The International Skills Diploma Seal certifies attainment
of intercultural competencies and focuses on international education. It
reflects progress along the pathway toward achieving the specified level of
language proficiency for Georgia’s Seal of Biliteracy. The Seal of Biliteracy
focuses on language proficiency and provides a signal to businesses and
educational agencies that the recipient has achieved, at minimum, a proficiency
level of Intermediate High on the ACTFL Proficiency Scale.
What if students want to obtain the Seal of Biliteracy but there is no
AP or IB test available for a specific language?
Please see the table below for approved proficiency exams
and required minimum scores or proficiency levels. Please contact the Program
Specialist for World Languages, Mr. Patrick Wallace at pwallace@doe.k12.ga.us, to inquire
about languages that are not listed.